When Senator Lindsey Graham died suddenly last month from a heart condition, official Washington paused its partisan spitting contests to honor a Master of the Beltway. Not since John McCain’s funeral in 2018 had there been such a high display of institutional respect for a senator – complete with eulogies in the Capitol Rotunda and an invitation-only funeral at the National Cathedral attended by foreign leaders.
But now South Carolina has to decide who replaces the Great Man. We are used to a political climate dominated by candidates who embrace egotistical posturing and exaggerate their qualifications. So on one level it was refreshing to see the South Carolina debate last night. Lindsey’s sister Darline Graham candidly admitted she’s just one of the folks and not particularly qualified for the Senate seat she was handed through nepotism after the death of her brother.
Her honesty was also on display when she declined to answer a question about the importance of Taiwan and the South China Sea to US security. First, she asked the moderator to repeat the question. Then she said, “I’m just going to be honest here… I’m not that informed on national security.” There were murmurs in the audience while she paused. “But I do support the military.” Then she reiterated that her brother had served 33 years in the US Air Force. No doubt some of her best friends are also in uniform.
